Bill seeking ban on pit bulls

State Sen. Kilby wants compromise to increase penalties

NASHVILLE -- Six months after a new state law opened the door for speedier civil suits against owners of vicious dogs that injure others, a state senator has filed a bill to outlaw pit bulls in Tennessee.

Sen. Tommy Kilby, D-Wartburg, said Friday he won't push his bill for an outright ban on the breed but hopes to use it as a vehicle for compromise legislation to increase penalties on the owners of dogs that cause serious bodily injury.

Kilby's bill would make it a Class A misdemeanor under Tennessee's criminal code to &quot;own, keep, harbor or exercise control&quot; over a pit bull in the state. Such a misdemeanor conviction would be subject to a fine of up to $2,500 and a potential jail term of up to a year.

In addition, the owner would have to surrender custody of the dog to a humane society.

The latest state death from a pit bull attack was Nov. 12 in Knoxville when Jennifer Lowe, 21, was mauled at a West Knox County residence by two dogs that had been declared dangerous last August after attacking another dog.

Kilby said he knows that breed-specific dog bans have been ruled unconstitutional.

&quot;I hope to use it as a vehicle for a law that will make penalties against the owners more substantial. My intent it to pass a law that makes owners responsible for their dogs' actions. With ownership of pets, there are responsibilities,&quot; he said.

There is no House co-sponsor for the bill, but Kilby said he expects one soon.

On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to review a separate bill by Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson, that would create the &quot;Tennessee Animal Abuser Registration, Tracking and Verification Act&quot; -- a state registry of people convicted of animal abuse.

The new law, also sponsored by Jackson, went into effect July1. It provides that &quot;the owner of a dog has a duty to keep it under reasonable control at all times and to keep it from running at large. A person who breaches that duty is subject to civil liability for any damages suffered by a person who is injured by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in or on the private property of another, regardless of whether the dog has shown any dangerous propensities or whether the dog's owner knew or should have known of the dog's dangerous propensities.&quot;

Kilby said he doesn't believe those laws go far enough. &quot;I respect the AKC (American Kennel Club) people and pet organizations and their opinions. The democratic process is that, hopefully, we can come to an agreement,&quot; he said.